Express host Vipers
Vipers’ Brian Nkubi (left) and Express’s Saddam Juma battle for the ball during the first round league match of the 2016/17 Azam Premier League.
What you need to know:
Soccer. Vipers lie in fourth, four points ahead of eighth-placed Express. The last time the two former champions met, Express edged the Kitende-based side 1-0. Today, the struggling ‘giants’ face-off in a battle for honours.
KAMPALA.
Over the years, Vipers have come to be known as one of few clubs in the domestic league with a clear plan of how they want to play.
Many of the club’s players have consequently come through the hands of current club coaches Richard Wasswa and Edward Golola from St. Mary’s Kitende, a feeder side to the senior team.
The few that were signed from elsewhere have usually been inculcated into the fast, short passing approach that the two coaches prefer.
But after falling at the first hurdle on the continent to Nigeria’s Enyimba last season, the club signed Ibrahim Kayiwa, Brian Kakaire and the returning Tony Odur in what was seen as a sign to diversify their approach.
The signings have however not quite worked out with head coach Wasswa admitting to Vipers being a work in progress before they knocked out Comoros’ Volcan di Moroni in the Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round.
“We are still a work in progress,” he stated after the first leg goalless draw at Namboole a fortnight ago.
He is consequently expected to use today’s match against Express, the first of three league games before the Confederation Cup first leg against South Africa’s Platinum Stars, to gauge his side. Currently placed fourth with 27 points from 16 games, a win today will move Vipers to third position and within five points of leaders KCCA who play Onduparaka tomorrow.
They are meanwhile up against an Express side that is eighth on the log but having made little progress since Mathias Lule took charge in November.
“We have to improve in all areas. We played for only 20 minutes against Doves and resorted to kicking the ball around,” stated Lule after progressing to the Uganda Cup round-of-16 on penalties against lower league Doves Allstars.
Elsewhere, URA and Proline that have drawn the most games in the league thus far face off in Lugazi while Police are aiming for fifth straight victory under coach Abdallah Mubiru when they travel to Kavumba to play Soana.
TOP SCORERS
Geoffrey Sserunkuma (KCCA) 10
Muhammad Shaban (Onduparaka) 10
Vitalis Tabu (SC Villa) 7
Edrisa Lubega (Proline) 7
Alex Kittata (SC Villa) 5
